![Scholarship: $37,000 (tax free) (2025/26 rate) up to three and a half years.
Based at AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBiosciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Successful applicants must meet the La Trobe University entry requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Check your eligibility here: https://www]atrobe.edu.au/study/apply/research/doctor
For enquiries and to apply, please forward a covering letter, your curriculum vitae (please include evidence of research writing) and academic transcripts to: Kendra Whiteman Higher Education Manager Agriculture Victoria Research kendra.whiteman@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Closing date for applications: until filled
Title: Insect microbiomes and their role in biocontrol: a journey from field collection to invasive weed management
PhD Project Aims
β’ Explore the microbiome composition of biocontrol insect/s and host plants collected from the field in their native range
β’ Understand the impact of lab quarantine protocols, mass rearing, and release under conditions on insect microbiome and fecundity
β’ Develop methods to preserve or supplement beneficial microbes to cultured insects
The successful candidate will be supervised by A/Prof Paul Cunningham, Dr Aimee McKinnon and Dr Francesco Martoni and Dr Raelene Kwong. With potential opportunities to travel internationally and collaborate with experts at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, New Zealand, this PhD will shape the future of biocontrol programs in Australia and internationally.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5vyq6efzmwrwndy5udjm6c7w/bafkreidi7zq3zyzp7mjre7po3hxuh6of3ezorvlbox5ogpjvsnkvdpcoz4@jpeg)
Scholarship: $37,000 (tax free) (2025/26 rate) up to three and a half years.
Based at AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBiosciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Successful applicants must meet the La Trobe University entry requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Check your eligibility here: https://www]atrobe.edu.au/study/apply/research/doctor
For enquiries and to apply, please forward a covering letter, your curriculum vitae (please include evidence of research writing) and academic transcripts to: Kendra Whiteman Higher Education Manager Agriculture Victoria Research kendra.whiteman@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Closing date for applications: until filled
Title: Insect microbiomes and their role in biocontrol: a journey from field collection to invasive weed management
PhD Project Aims
β’ Explore the microbiome composition of biocontrol insect/s and host plants collected from the field in their native range
β’ Understand the impact of lab quarantine protocols, mass rearing, and release under conditions on insect microbiome and fecundity
β’ Develop methods to preserve or supplement beneficial microbes to cultured insects
The successful candidate will be supervised by A/Prof Paul Cunningham, Dr Aimee McKinnon and Dr Francesco Martoni and Dr Raelene Kwong. With potential opportunities to travel internationally and collaborate with experts at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, New Zealand, this PhD will shape the future of biocontrol programs in Australia and internationally.
β¨ β¨ β¨ #PhD POSITION β¨ β¨ β¨
Insect microbiomes and their role in biocontrol: a journey from field collection to invasive weed management. @aimeeemac.bsky.social @cescomartons.bsky.social
02.10.2025 20:30 β π 7 π 3 π¬ 2 π 2
U.S. scientistsβ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories
As the second Trump administration sends U.S. science into upheaval, countless researchers are fighting for their futures
It was a privilege to help tell the stories of U.S. scientists whose lives have been upended during the first 100 days of President Donald Trumpβs administration in this recent piece for @science.org
07.05.2025 15:46 β π 128 π 64 π¬ 2 π 1
15.04.2025 05:35 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Cool! That looks really similar to the epizootic outbreaks of Beauveria that I find on lissid beetles down here in Vic, also under eucalyptus bark - it shows how the fungi can form sort of plaques, when sheltered like that!
15.04.2025 05:31 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 3 π 0
Aye they're hefty. The huhu grubs are edible too, they reportedly taste like peanut butter. I wonder what zombie fungi claims them too
15.04.2025 04:51 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
A massive insect study may have made a huge mistake
The debate surrounding biodiversity loss highlights the fact that science is always a work in progress
Beyond the clickbaity headline...a good science story on the complexities of ecology and why scientific debates over HOW we measure insect decline are important, with some comments from me ππ§ͺ #scicomm www.sciencefocus.com/comment/inse...
25.03.2025 10:08 β π 50 π 9 π¬ 0 π 1
Assistant/Associate Professor of Public Health Entomology
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...
π£ πͺ° We're hiring a new Assistant/Associate Professor of *Public Health Entomology* at Penn State. Research areas are broad, covering pest management, pesticide resistance, epidemiology, and interactions of arthropods with microbial pathogens and symbionts.
psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...
23.03.2025 18:20 β π 13 π 19 π¬ 1 π 0
We have a few fantastic #entomology PhD opportunities available in our team at Agriculture Victoria, in association with La Trobe University, Australia π¦πΊ π
02.03.2025 00:44 β π 18 π 13 π¬ 0 π 0
Very cool paper! Thanks for sharing. I asked whether the mechanism was verified because it's always been a bit fuzzy/theoretical with endophytic EPF, but I'm not so familiar with Ophiocordyceps! This is certainly getting close to solving it
24.02.2025 21:12 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
A photograph of a velvet worm - an orange and purple-patterned invertebrate composed of many soft segments and tiny spined legs. The velvet worm has long, segmented antenna and a pair of organs on its head which squirt glue for prey capture.
A photograph of a velvet worm - an Blue and yellow-patterned invertebrate composed of many soft segments and tiny spined legs. The velvet worm has long, segmented antenna and a pair of organs on its head which squirt glue for prey capture.
Introducing New Zealand's latest Bug of the Year- the magnificent NgΔokeoke / Velvet Worm!
NZ has two genera: one lays eggs (Ooperipatellus, 1st photo) and another gives live birth (Peripatoides, 2nd). They also deposit sperm which burrow through their partner's skin, but that's another story! π§ͺ
24.02.2025 08:25 β π 541 π 151 π¬ 14 π 6
How do you know it passively transmits to insects through the endophytic phase? As in, by what mechanism?
24.02.2025 09:10 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
ORCID
Hi TimothΓ©e, I'd like to be added please, my orcid: orcid.org/0000-0002-45...
21.02.2025 04:12 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Amazing photos!! Welcome Francesco to #bugsky
21.02.2025 03:24 β π 5 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
please add @cescomartons.bsky.social π, an ento-nerd, new to bluesky!!
21.02.2025 03:21 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Dam this is so rubbish!!! Sorry to hear. I have no doubt you'll find your feet somewhere soon, and so your great research will surely continue π₯²
15.02.2025 06:38 β π 4 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
His Google Scholar is interesting to read through, you can see him having an epiphany, over time, on what gets citations - and he credits publishing polarising material, and then see him adopt it as a method to gain power/influence, esp during covid
14.02.2025 23:51 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Amphipsalta zelandica, New Zealand's chorus #cicada, is gorgeous. It's funny how when you return to your home country, you realise that the cicada sounds are unique and, therefore, #nostalgic #bugsky
10.02.2025 10:15 β π 12 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
A beautiful mycosed #moth too
10.02.2025 10:09 β π 4 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Also, on the hiking track, here is a magnificent New Zealand Huhu beetle, likely infected with #Beauveria sp., though still early stage infection - there appears to be conidiophores on the left antenna π
10.02.2025 10:03 β π 4 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Cordyceps sinclairii is an #entomopathogenic fungus that infects #cicada nymphs in soil, I found a few of these while hiking in Abel Tasman NP in New Zealand, and just had to dig one up, to see the host! It's like digging up a tiny potato π₯ #fungi
10.02.2025 09:56 β π 9 π 1 π¬ 3 π 0
So who wants to see some #zombie #fungi? I cleared some camphor saplings and lantana vine over weekend. The amount of #entomopathogenic fungi I found was getting really annoying. Ugh put down tools, get out camera, take photo for the wonderful bluesky people, pick back up tools. Repeat #fungifriends
03.02.2025 20:35 β π 168 π 11 π¬ 48 π 2
Brilliant π, we should chat sometime about translating these ideas to tephritid fruit flies π
17.01.2025 03:56 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Awesome! It would be cool to trial integrating your transgenic Metarhizium with something like the in2Care mosquito traps, which I think use Beauveria currently as part of an autoinoculation component.
17.01.2025 02:55 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
They are incredible!! I saw old mate Amy Vaughan plug the Springtail too, on insta. Already got my vote #TeamGiantSpringtail π
16.01.2025 22:45 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
New Zealand Bug of the Year
The majestic New Zealand Bug of the Year 2025 competition is on now! As with our bird comp, you don't have to be a New Zealander on in the country to vote for your favourite! #bugsky
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
16.01.2025 07:13 β π 7 π 1 π¬ 1 π 0
I would love to be on a list, if possible? such a great idea to find immediate community!
16.01.2025 07:06 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Prime Minister of Canada and Leader of the Liberal Party | Premier ministre du Canada et chef du Parti libΓ©ral
markcarney.ca
Biologist using genes 𧬠and computers π» to study evolution and spread of invasive Insect pests. Senior Research Scientist @ Agriculture Victoria. Adjunct Research Fellow @ LaTrobe University π¦πΊ
Bee researcher, evolutionary ecologist, R nerd, photographer, and Lecturer at the University of Wollongong, Dharawal Country
Entomology PhD Candidate @ UIUC - Ohio State/UF Alumna (#ufbugs) - Micro-wasp fan and roach apologist.
Entomologist | PhD @ Uni Freiburg
π Insect ecology & multitrophic interactions
πΏ Food web dynamics in growing forests
πΈ Macrophotography
Scientific Director at Natural History Museum Stuttgart
Professor of Biological Systematics at University of Hohenheim
taxonomy | biodiversity | nature conservation | parasitoid wasps
π¦ π§ͺπ₯π§¬microbial ecology & evolution | agricultural microbiomes | food security | metabolism | ππΊ host-microbe interactions | functional -omics | bioinformatics | salsa | philosophy | equality | UNAM | mSystems / mBio
polyimmigrant! π²π½πΈπͺπ¦πΊπ¨π
Molecular diagnostics in New Zealand for whatever interests us - from bee diseases to soil fungi, insect viruses to beer spoilage.
Molecular Plant Pathologist and Associate Professor at Massey University, New Zealand | Effector Biology | Apple Scab | Tomato Leaf Mould | Kauri Dieback |
Prof. Microbiology @ Freie UniversitΓ€t Berlin (He/ Him)
Microbial ecology, plant leaf (phyllosphere) microbiology, fond of expressing fluorescent proteins in uncommon bacteria. Recently, we have adopted butterflies and their offspring in our lab.
Max Planck Research Group Leader // Plant pathogen emergence and evolution // http://instagram.com/honourmccann // Opinions my own etc
The wicked postdoc of the west | everything plants, microbiomes and data science | postdoc FU Berlin π©πͺ | PhD in microbiology UCNZ π³πΏ
he | him | Γ©l π³οΈβππ¨π±
https://roschlec.github.io
Americaβs Finest News Source. A @globaltetrahedron.bsky.social subsidiary.
Get the paper delivered to your door: membership.theonion.com
Physicist, complex systems, ex-COVID modeller, he/him
Author of "The Covid Response" https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/the-covid-response
Quantitative Ecologist @Cawthron Institute, Nelson NZ | Honorary academic @UoA | freshwater fish | connectivity | modelling | occasionally birds | extinction | population and community ecology
Professor, University of Auckland: urban ecology, conservation, invasive species. Mum to 2 teenagers. Nature fan. She/her. Aotearoa - New Zealand.
UOA profile: https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/mc-stanley
PΔkehΔ ecologist, Aotearoa. Biosecurity, biodiversity, invasive species, preoccupied with translating evidence into conservation outcomes, opinions my own, she/her/ia π³οΈβπ
An independent not-for-profit growing pathways of knowledge so science and research can be shared for the benefit of all Aotearoa New Zealand
A group of organisations including unions and scientific societies with an interest in ensuring that Aotearoa New Zealand has a well-functioning and well-funded science and research system. See more at http://www.scientists.org.nz/save-science-coalition
The Aotearoa New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence for complex systems. From complexity to possibility.
